The elevator door closed, enclosing all five of them inside. As Zack pressed a button, they immediately felt the upward movement.
Tess broke the silence, curiosity evident in her voice. "Where are we going?"
Zack responded, "Level three. Wherever that takes us."
Lanse, visibly disturbed, glanced at the multitude of buttons in the elevator. "Why are there so many buttons in this elevator?"
Before anyone could provide an answer, they were taken aback by the astonishing speed at which the elevator door opened. In what felt like an instant, they had ascended twelve floors.
"Wow," exclaimed Zack as he stepped out first into a sunlit hallway. The rest followed suit until they reached a spacious balcony flooded with the vibrant streaks of the sunset. It offered a breathtaking view.
They made their way to the concrete railing enclosing the balcony, leaning against it, except for Lanse, who became engrossed in studying an electronic map on the wall.
From their elevated vantage point, they beheld the expanse of the compound. It spread out like a sea of ancient buildings, towers, and statues, bathed in the warm and radiant glow of the setting sun.
"Hello, world!" Zack joyfully shouted, his voice carrying across the balcony and bouncing back to them as faint echoes.
When Lanse eventually joined them at the balcony, he positioned himself with his back to the sunset, arms folded, and one hand resting beneath his chin, lost in deep contemplation. The others tore their gazes away from the captivating view to observe him.
"What's his problem?" Szedra irritably questioned.
Zack replied, "Why don't you go ask him?"
"Me?" Szedra hesitated, slightly taken aback.
"Maybe he's just dealing with his own issues," Tess offered as a possible explanation.
"Perhaps he's not accustomed to being around people, like me," Zino chimed in.
"You know I can hear you, right?" Lanse interjected, causing them to startle as if alerted by a sudden alarm.
"Of course we know that," Tess quickly retorted, her words aimed at Lanse to conceal their collective embarrassment. The others looked at her with raised eyebrows, aware of her blatant lie.
Lanse approached them with his hands tucked into his jacket pockets. "Don't tell me I'm the only one who has a bad feeling about this place."
"What do you mean?" Zack inquired, his curiosity piqued.
Lanse retrieved a card, similar to the one Tess received in her letter, from his jacket pocket. As he glanced at it, he expressed his suspicion. "I assume we're all early recruits to this Primus Mid-Sentry, right?"
They sprang up from their leaning positions against the railing and turned to face each other, their brows furrowed in concern.
"You're right. Shouldn't there be hundreds more of us?" Szedra voiced her uncertainty.
"Maybe they're running late," Zino suggested in a hushed tone. However, her voice quickly regained strength as she continued, "This is a new Mid-Sentry, and we were recruited early. That could explain it."
"I see your point," Zack acknowledged, shifting his attention back to the mesmerizing view. "This place doesn't resemble a typical Mid-Sentry Headquarters. It's far too advanced in terms of technology."
Lanse leaned over the railing, scanning the magnificent buildings below. "None of those structures look like dormitories, and where are the training grounds?" he pondered aloud.
Zino's eyes lit up with enthusiasm. "Maybe they're underground!"
Lanse turned towards her, his eyes still squinted from scanning the distance. He remarked, "Aren't you the clever one." Suddenly, his eyes widened, and his voice grew louder. "Especially considering this HQ likely has over twenty underground levels!"
Szedra chimed in, her voice filled with realization. "You're absolutely right."
Zack added with conviction, "As I said, far too advanced."
Tess remained silent as her thoughts spiraled out of control. The notion of a Mid-Sentry HQ with only five trainees sent her mind into a frenzy. Her forehead tightened, and beads of sweat began to form on her skin. Seeking solace, she moved closer to a wall, attempting to find some calm.
She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Her hand instinctively went to her neck, feeling for the edge of her turtleneck and pulling it up slightly. Despite concealing her curse mark, she felt exposed. Turning her cap around, she let it cast a shadow on the upper portion of her face.
What if someone discovered her secret? What if they were all there as a way to punish her, to expose her true nature? Eighteen years of evasion, and now they had finally caught up to her. Could that be the reason Petra died? Did they find out about her actions and silence her?
Glancing back at the group, Tess noticed that none of them wore the head or armbands bearing the crests that signified Sybervirus victims. They must have been like her—delinquents gathered together for punishment.
Zack noticed Tess standing alone by the wall and became concerned. He approached her cautiously, reaching out a hand to touch her shoulder.
"Hey," he said softly, his voice laced with genuine care.
Tess was startled by the contact. In a split second, she instinctively reacted, squishing Zack's cheek against the wall and immobilizing his other hand behind his back. A shriek of pain escaped Zack's lips before Tess quickly released him, realizing her mistake.
"I'm so sorry," she apologized, blinking rapidly in an attempt to process what had just happened.
Szedra stood there, mouth agape in shock, while Zino held her hands close to her chest. Lanse wore a surprised expression, more taken aback than genuinely concerned.
"What just happened?" Szedra exclaimed, breaking the stunned silence.
Lanse interjected, redirecting their attention to the pressing matter. "We need answers."
"The meeting!" Szedra exclaimed with urgency, causing everyone's anxiety to rise. "The commander mentioned a meeting at seventeen o'clock—"
"In the middle of the compound," Lanse finished her sentence.
"What?" Tess questioned, feeling out of the loop. "When did he say that?"
"You two were too far ahead to hear," Szedra explained to her.
Zino counted down on her fingers before checking her bracelet, which doubled as a hologram watch. "We still have ten minutes until five. We should have enough time."
Lanse, taking the lead, moved to stand in front of the electronic map on the wall. The others gathered behind him as he located their current position and traced the route to the central building in the compound, marked by a red flag.
They turned their gazes back towards the balcony, realizing the considerable distance they had to cover through the cleared path between the buildings.
"All the way over there?" Zack exclaimed, leaning over the railing as if contemplating a daring leap.
Tess, eager to prove they were in over their heads, voiced her concern. "Shouldn't we have left already?"
Lanse snapped a picture of the map, and they all proceeded to the end of the hallway, descending the stairs that led to the ground level.
Zack clenched his fists together, his determination evident. "Alright, people, let's go demand some answers."
As they made their way toward the building, their progress was halted by the sight of battle-suited soldiers running towards them.
"Duck," Lanse commanded, and they all quickly crouched down, seeking cover behind a bush. The soldiers rushed past, oblivious to their presence.
"Where the hell are they going in such a hurry?" Lanse wondered aloud.
"Maybe they're after us," Szedra speculated. "They must know that we're aware this isn't a Mid-Sentry."
Tess's eyes widened at Szedra's seemingly crazy assumption, given her claimed ability to see the future. "Should we still attend the meeting if it's clear that these people are out to kill us?" she questioned anxiously.
Lanse stood up, sensing that the coast was clear.
"There must be a misunderstanding—I've never done anything deserving of death in my entire life," Zino moaned, attempting to hold back her tears.
"Regardless, we have to go to that meeting," Lanse insisted, his voice resolute.
"That's utterly illogical," Tess snapped, frustrated with the situation.
The others swiftly followed behind Lanse, not wanting to be left behind in this unfamiliar place. Tess, not wanting to be left alone either, reluctantly trailed behind them, determined not to be left behind at that location.